Chapter 212
Chapter 212
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 212
Chapter Title: I Met the Person Who Wrote Malicious Comments!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Jeong Da-jeong, who had been lounging at home on a rare off day, suddenly found herself summoned. Why? The story behind that went back about three hours.
"So yes, I'm very confident! I'm also really looking forward to personally interacting with fans."
"I see... Alright, I've heard enough. You can go now."
"Yes! Thank you!"
She bowed at a perfect ninety degrees and headed out. Kang Haneul watched her retreating figure until she was gone, then let out a small sigh.
No one she'd met so far had quite clicked. They all felt too uniform.
"You've been sighing a lot lately."
"Mm... There's just no one who feels like 'the one.' They're all so cookie-cutter..."
A staff member who'd been sitting in on the interviews with her spoke up cautiously, gauging her expression. Kang Haneul nodded with a wry smile.
It wasn't meant as criticism.
What she wanted was 'uniqueness.'
In this domestic VTuber market that had already grown as big as it could, it was an essential element for survival.
Whether it came from personality or special talents.
They needed that striking first impression that could grab people instantly.
But none of the candidates she'd seen so far had given her that vibe.
'Am I comparing them too much to the first generation?'
Kang Haneul had wrestled with that question herself.
Was she failing to be objective? She'd witnessed the first gen's massive success firsthand and felt their unique charms, so maybe she was measuring everyone against them.
But put another way, it also meant this:
To make the cut for second gen, they needed potential on par with the first gen at minimum.
Otherwise, they'd just trail behind and fade away eventually.
For someone who cherished and loved Blue LUV's very existence, that was unacceptable.
"Alright, bring in the next candidate."
"Yes, please come in."
She instructed the staffer waiting by the door, and the woman brought in a female applicant from outside.
"Ah, hello. I'm Jang Ji-won. Nice to meet you."
The woman who entered introduced herself with a slight hesitation.
It stood in contrast to most previous applicants, who had come in quite boldly.
In the VTuber world, confidence and self-promotion were key, so plenty faked bravado to show it off.
But Jang Ji-won wasn't doing that.
"Yes, Ji-won. Nice to meet you too. Must've been hot coming all this way."
"No, not at all. I actually like the heat."
"Oh? How'd you get here, by the way?"
There was a bit of distance from the subway station, so Kang Haneul wondered if she'd driven. But the answer was completely unexpected.
"Pardon? Oh, I came while eating ice cream."
"...Pfft!"
"Khk...!"
Her quirky response cracked up Kang Haneul and everyone else in the room.
She'd interpreted it as what she'd done on the way, not how she'd traveled.
The image of her sucking on ice cream pops all the way to the company was just too funny.
"Ice cream is delicious, after all. Alright, shall we get into the real questions?"
If she weren't going for a concept, she'd be a fun one, Kang Haneul thought as she scanned the resume's details.
Nothing too standout, but the hobbies and talents section caught her eye a bit.
"Your hobby says 'Blue LUV fanning'... So you're a Pista?"
"Ah, yes! I am."
The woman, who had seemed pretty shy until moments ago, lit up at the question. Kang Haneul smiled softly.
'She kinda reminds me of Da-jeong.'
But answers like this were standard prep, so she decided to probe deeper.
"Who's your favorite member?"
"I like them all, but my top is Lulu. Seeing her made me want to become a VTuber."
"Whoa... Picking Lulu? You know your stuff."
"This is an interview, Jae-hyun."
The guy sitting in on the interview cracked a fanboy line at her Lulu pick, earning a jab from the other side.
Kang Haneul just nodded quietly. Their policy was to keep the vibe relaxed anyway.
"Lulu as your fave... You like the cute types, huh?"
"No, not just because she's cute... Ah, no! Of course she is cute! Super lovable, but that's not why I fell for her!"
"I see. So what hooked you?"
Most Lulu fans gave similar reasons, so seeing something different piqued Kang Haneul's interest. She propped her chin on her hand.
"Truth is... Lulu changed my life. And on the surface, she's endlessly cute and lovable, but... how do I put it? She's like the epitome of gentle on the outside, strong on the inside. Her inner maturity and depth make her so admirable. That's why I love her."
"Oho..."
Kang Haneul let out an impressed sigh at the detailed, sincere answer.
The public often saw Lulu as just the cute, lovey-dovey member with overflowing charm.
But what Kang Haneul felt matched exactly what Jang Ji-won described.
Despite her tiny frame that seemed like it might snap and childlike looks.
Inside, she was deeper and more mature than anyone.
Recognizing that gave true fan vibes, which Kang Haneul loved. Not just lip service about Blue LUV fanning as a hobby.
"I even won the lottery for her birthday cafe and bought all the merch."
"True fan, huh."
Nodding as she flipped the page, Kang Haneul moved to the next questions.
Standard ones she'd asked everyone: What content ideas do you have?
What kind of streams would you make as a Blue LUV member?
What unique appeal do you think you bring to broadcasts?
"Yes, personally, I'd like to do things like..."
Unlike her initial shyness, her answers were detailed.
Best of all, she didn't overhype. She stuck to realistic visions she could deliver, which impressed Kang Haneul.
'Finally, a solid candidate.'
She mentally circled the resume as she listened contentedly.
Of course, not all applicants were done yet, so no guarantees.
But among those seen so far, this one uniquely passed muster.
The other interviewers shot her smiles, as if to say it was a wrap.
Kang Haneul agreed, but one thing Ji-won had said popped into her head.
"By the way, Ji-won, when you said Lulu changed your life earlier... Could you share why? This isn't for the interview, so feel free."
"...Yes."
Sensing Ji-won's mood dip a bit, Kang Haneul pressed on anyway.
Unlike her quick prior responses, this one took time.
"Actually, there's something I planned to confess here today."
"Confess?"
The way she said "confess" like a sinner repenting startled Kang Haneul into repeating it.
"Yes... Truth is, I'm the one who wrote those malicious comments about Lulu a while back."
Jang Ji-won met their eyes steadily, calmly owning up without flinching.
For that instant, everyone in the room felt like time had frozen.
Upon arriving at the company after the President's call, Manager So-eun was waiting at the entrance.
"Da-jeong, this way please?"
"Sure..."
The mood felt heavy, but she could guess why.
She followed silently, figuring they were taking a side route to avoid eyes during interviews.
"The President says sorry for calling you out of the blue. Must be busy even on off days."
"Ah, no worries. I was just chatting with the members anyway. Hehe..."
With light schedule and off-stream day, she'd been super lazy today.
Hearing that made her a tad embarrassed, like getting caught slacking.
"You've heard the story from the President already?"
"Yes."
"Then why agree to meet?"
"Dunno. Just felt like I had to."
"So like you."
Smiling, So-eun led her down the hall to a door.
The sign read 'Content Meeting Room.'
A place Da-jeong had never been in her year coming here.
Probably used by regular staff, not members.
Knock knock—
"President, I brought Lulu."
—Ah, tell her to come in.
With So-eun's knock came the reply.
The door creaked open.
Inside sat the President and a stranger facing her.
"Come on in. Sorry to drag you out on a rest day."
"N-no, it's fine. But who's this...?"
She waved off the apology, then eyed the woman.
The identity from the call flashed back.
Oh, right... She's the one.
"Ah, hello. I'm Jang Ji-won. Nice to meet you. And..."
The woman, tense, greeted her but paused.
Like searching for words or hesitating.
Da-jeong knew the emotion underneath.
"...I'm the one who wrote malicious comments about Lulu before and apologized on stream."
With that, she bowed her head, unable to meet Da-jeong's eyes.
Yes.
This was the person who'd badmouthed her donation post on Twitter.
And afterward, become one of her most fervent viewers.
Da-jeong had wondered what she was like.
Meeting her now stirred mixed feelings.
Should she say welcome? It's okay?
Even finding words was hard.
Their connection felt more tangled than expected.
Even though Da-jeong had received her apology and forgiven her.
"This might take a while, so have a seat? So-eun, could you grab some tea?"
"Yes, President."
So-eun headed to the pantry.
The room held just the three of them in heavy silence.